Now, I have no more evidence that this is a Crimean War quilt than Peto had it was a Civil War quilt---actually less. She may have heard a family story. I am just making it up. I wish she were around to discuss this with---perhaps over a cup of hot chocolate---or a chocolate martini.

I'd say, "Futhermore, Florrie, it's not quilted but a finished spread. Such a British finish to patchwork."

It's so good of you to question - and you have the knowledge to back it up. There have been other things (which escape me since it would be convenient to state an example right now) of things said of the Victorian Era that I know to be incorrect or a tool for a certain purpose posed as something else, etc. I love getting 'into' a time period - so what did this mean? or why that? & so on. You do a fabulous job at that. Thank you for sharing.JoeyLeahttp://www.thelocustblossom.blogspot.com/

Just to give the Shelburne its due, when I asked them for information about a quilt of theirs I wanted to research, they were most cooperative and even tho my theory would have questioned the attribution of the quilt's origin, they gave me everything they had and wrote with encouragement, saying that they were delighted someone was interested in a piece in their collection. I mention this because I, too, have had the opposite experience with some notable institutions, including a branch of a very famous taxpayer-supported museum in Washington D.C. (I may ask my Congresswoman for help). So the Shelburne, it's one of the good guys, not one of the bad guys!

I am proud that I am a nurse, wishing I could go back in time, sometimes, when nursing was nursing, and very hard work for very little pay, no picket lines, no complaining, you did it because you wanted to. (I know some women came from bad pasts) Thank you for sharing this wonderful post. I admire her greatly.

I think you have a convincing case. Its been years since I visited the Shelburne Museum and I viewed the quilts on display at the time rather indiscrimantly--being only familiar with the late 1800's 'scrap quilts' still in use at my grandfather's farm house.

Some readers seem to think I am criticizing the Shelburne here. I am commenting on dating a quilt. My teasing is at the expense of Florence Peto who did the best she could in the 1940s and '50s.Not all of life is an adversarial situation.